K-pop sensation BTS hope to hold an in-person concert in Seoul for the first since the pandemic.
The band hinted at the news in a tweet on Friday, saying to fans: "See you in Seoul, March 2022."
The tweet included hashtags for the group's Permission to Dance stage performances, but provided no other details.
Yonhap News Agency reported unnamed officials at the group's management company, Bighit Music, as saying they would push to hold the event in person to give fans in South Korea a chance to see the singers.
A Bighit press release said the next city in the BTS tour will be Seoul, but the company did not immediately confirm if the event would be in person.
On Thursday the seven-member BTS concluded a series of four live performances in California, the group's first in-person concerts since 2019.
Some of the most ardent South Korean fans flew to California for the concerts.
Plans for a world tour were repeatedly delayed and then cancelled, owing to the pandemic.
In early 2020, South Korea was one of the first countries to suffer a major Covid-19 outbreak outside China, where the pandemic began in 2019.
South Korea has been forced to reimpose some social-distancing measures just weeks after loosening them in October, to try and curb record numbers of infections despite a vaccination rate of 91.6 per cent for its adult population aged 18 and over.
The surge of new infections includes six confirmed cases of the Omicron variant that emerged last month, first reported by South Africa.
- Additional reporting by Reuters
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
